Ecco, Enemy of the Outcast
by Clan Guard Unrahki
Summary: When Ecco decides to help the clan, the future will change... forever.


Note: Ecco the dolphin nor anything in the games belong to me. You will probably have to have played most of Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future to understand this. Ecco the dolphin nor anything in the games belong to me. In the game Ecco starts out in an outcast village. What if he started on the Clan's side?

Chapter 1: Dark Encounters

When Ecco sent the traits of intellegence and ambition back in time, he noticed things starting to change. The weapon man had built vanished, and he found himself in a large sphere of water, where he could look out over the entire island, and also it seemed the entire ocean too. He also felt another presence behind him and he quickly turned. He became nearly stunned with fear as a dolphin, or what looked like one saw him. It was covered with many spikes, strange markings, some sort of weapon on his fins. That dolphin was also twice or three times his size.

"Who are you and how did you get here?!" shouted the mighty dolphin, "You must be of the outcast!"

Ecco tensed, not wanting to fight this living weapon. He replied uneasily, "Please, sir, I do not know of these outcast, and I wish not for a fight."

The large dolphin got quiet for a moment, seeming to inspect Ecco. Finally he stated, "You are not like the outcast." Ecco became relieved until the other dolphin said something else, "But why should I trust you?

Ecco thought for a moment before replying, "I do not mean any harm, and if you do not trust me then that is fine, but surely there is something I can do to gain your trust?"

The large dolphin grunted, "Perhaps. I do believe there are some things you could do... But you have to promise loyalty to me and the Clan."

Assuming the Clan were others like this dolphin here, Ecco was horrified at the thought of having to fight many large spiked dolphins. Perhaps an alliance would be good he thought, maybe they can help me find the other trait spheres, and I won't have to fight them.

"I promise," Ecco said, but immediately wondered if he should have said it. Seeing no other way out of the current situation, he had to go with it.

The huge Clan dolphin smirked, "Good. Now, look around. Do you know what this place is?"

Ecco looked around, sonaring a few things. Most things were alien to him; odd oval shaped large orangish-yellow stones, and tall brown plant-like things. The strangest thing was the water. He couldn't tell what was holding the giant sphere up. As he looked at all the things, he could feel the menacing stare of the large dolphin. I can't tell what he's thinking, but he seems to be suspicious of me still. I don't blame him after I seemingly appeared from nothing. Still, the dolphins of this time... Ecco's thoughts trailed off. Noticing a small air vent just a short distance away, he swam quickly over to it and refilled his lungs, turning back to the large dolphin.

"No, I don't even know what to relate it to," he replied truthfully.

The large dolphin was silent for a while, seeming deep in thought. Ecco became nervous, wondering if he accepted his promise. The Clan dolphin then clicked and started to swim downwards, motioning Ecco to follow. At the bottom of the water sphere an opening appeared, and both dolphins swam through,

Ecco and the Clan dolphin landed in a pool of water just under the giant sphere. Ecco became confused and asked, "How do you get down from the top of this island? ...Or do you?"

The Clan dolphin looked amused. "Watch," he said. Ecco looked up and saw water forming in thin air. A miniature water sphere was hanging just above them. The clan leader jumped out of the water and into it. Ecco hesitated for a moment before doing the same. In front of them a long tube of water formed, and they both swam down it. Ecco couldn't help but worry about falling out of the tube to his death, but the Clan dolphin seemed just fine. He must used to this... I better not mess up. Hopefully we won't have to do this much longer. Ecco said to himself.

"Sir?" Ecco called out to him. The other dolphin just ignored him, continuing down the tube of water. Ecco whistled in annoyance.

The tube went down for a short while longer, and then ended. In front of them was another one of those giant water spheres where they had started, except this one had plant like coverings on the top and bottom. Ecco and the Clan dolphin jumped from the water tube and landed into the pool below the sphere.

The Clan dolphin went up a plant like tube that went up to the sphere, with Ecco close behind him. As they entered, Ecco saw another huge spiked dolphin, but with less markings and no fin weapons.

He whistled angrily, "Mutaclone! What is this one you bring with you? He is not one of us!"

Mutaclone? Is that what he's called? Ecco wondered.

"Silence, Inferno. He is not of the outcast either," replied Mutaclone, who swam closer to 'Inferno' and started speaking too quietly for Ecco to hear.

Inferno looked surprised, but appeared to stop arguing. He looked over at Ecco and said, "Come here."

Ecco swam slowly up to Inferno and Mutaclone, wondering what they had to say.

"Who are you and from where did you come?" Inferno inquired.

"I am Ecco, and I come from a place far from here." he replied. It was only part true, because Ecco came from around the volcano island. He was just from a different time.

"How did you get here?"

Ecco did not know how to answer this. He couldn't really tell them that he had come through the vortex of time, it would sound crazy! ... Or would it? Ecco had an idea.

"I came through something similar to your... hanging waters. It's-" Ecco was cut off by Mutaclone angry glare.

"Do you think we are fools?! The Clan are the only ones with such advanced technologies!" Mutaclone shouted and Ecco winced.

"...Of this time," said Ecco quietly in response to Mutaclone's statement.

Inferno looked very annoyed, and seemed as if he was about to attack before Mutaclone held up a fin, tell him to stop. He turned to Ecco and said, "Explain yourself."

So, Ecco began his story, beginning with the dolphins and humans living together in harmony. The two Clan dolphins found this amusing, for they had driven away the humans from the seas long ago.

"However, an alien race called the Foe did not want the humans and dolphins united, as together they defeated them. So they destroyed the guardian, the protector of the planet built by other dolphins like me, and travelled back in time. I was caught in the time vortex they were travelling in, and I hoped I would be able to stop them in time. but..." Ecco trailed off, but picked right back up when he noticed the two Clan dolphins getting impatient, "They stole all the traits of the dolphins. I was desperately looking for something I could do, when I remembered the ancient power of metamorphosis. Using that, I became one of their fighters, and destroyed their ship. The spheres, containing the traits-" Ecco was cut off by Inferno.

"The spheres! Mutaclone, could that be-" who was cut off by Mutaclone.

"Silence!" growled Mutaclone, and asked, "What happened to the sphere?"

"They were scattered throughout time. Using the Foe's time vortex, I chased after them, and ended up in a place where man had enslaved dolphins because of the lack of their traits. With their help though, and using one of the harnesses built by man I was able to go to the top of this volcanic island and destroy a dangerous weapon they had built. That's where I found the sphere of ambition, and this world was created."

Mutaclone and Inferno began discussing something together, and Ecco waited patiently for them to speak to him.

"I will test him with trials. Explain this to Iceflame," Mutaclone told Inferno, who nodded. Mutaclone motioned for Ecco to follow him again, and they both exited Inferno's giant water sphere. Ecco began to wonder what these "trials" would be like.


End file.
